Back in 2022, I never imagined that a school election would lead me to a place I never thought I'd be. He was in the accountancy strand, and I was in the general strand. We were in different circles, but fate had other plans.
It all started during the student council elections. Both of us ran for positions, though we were part of separate groups. We went from classroom to classroom, promoting our respective platforms. But on one particular day, everything changed.
I saw him for the first time, and I was immediately struck by how cool he looked—composed, confident, and effortlessly charismatic. I felt my heart skip a beat. In that moment, I knew that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't stand a chance. He was just too... perfect. But then, our eyes met, and he smiled at me. A smile so sweet and genuine that it felt like the entire room paused for a moment. That was when I realized—I had already fallen for him.
The months passed, and we both lost the election. It was funny, really. But life moved on, and I was elected as the vice president of my class, while he became the president of his. Despite our loss in the elections, our paths crossed again during Teacher's Day preparations. All the student council officers, from the president to the secretary, were called to organize a surprise celebration for the teachers.
He was the leader of our organizing team, and I was just one of his members. I didn't choose to be in his group, but somehow, I ended up there. As we started planning, he approached me, asking for my opinion on the event. His voice was warm, and his attention was genuine. But as he spoke to me, I felt an unfamiliar nervousness wash over me. He noticed, of course. He could see that I was uncomfortable, and without hesitation, he approached me with kindness and concern, easing my anxiety.
That simple act of noticing me, of caring about my feelings, made me fall even harder for him. My confidence, which had been wavering, suddenly surged. It was like a wave I couldn't control, as powerful as the rising tax rates in the US. I had never felt this way before.
When the big day arrived, everything went smoothly. As the celebration unfolded, he approached me again. With a smile, he asked, "Is it okay if we take a picture?" I was caught off guard, but I nodded without hesitation. We stood side by side, a picture-perfect moment captured forever. And to this day, I still have that photo, a cherished reminder of the time he turned my world upside down.
I remember telling myself that I wouldn't fall in love, that I wouldn't let myself get caught up in something so fleeting. But then he appeared, and everything changed. He made me question everything I thought I knew about myself. His presence shook my world, and now, looking back, I know that in that fleeting moment, I found a part of myself I never knew existed.